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ANNALS, Frederick James (Service number 25/481)

Made by Opihi College teacher David Ellena, 2015 (Courtesy of Kate Manson, Opihi College )Posed with the board is Opihi College teacher David Ellena, who made the Roll on Honour in 2015 (Courtesy of Kate Manson, Opihi College )

On Memorial wall, Timaru; Lower Waitohi War Memorial, South Canterbury; Temuka War Memorial; Geraldine War Memorial

Biographical Notes

Youngest son of James and Sarah Jane (nee EVANS) ANNALS, of Waiapi, Temuka, Timaru. His brother Henry served as William Henry ANDREWS 8/3467 and was also killed in action in the same battle and on the same date, 15 Sep 1916. His brothers Walter and George also both served in WWI, and his brother-in-law, Robert GUILFORD, (husband of Ethel Kazia ANNALS). As a child he attended first Belfield School, which was probably close to his home, then in 1899 he went to Temuka Primary School, followed by time at Temuka District High School. Fred attested at Trentham on 13th Oct 1915. He was a labourer at Waiapi, Temuka, and was a Rifleman in the theatre of war. He was reported missing, then it was determined, by Court of Enquiry on 9 March 1917, that he was killed in action 15 Sep 1916, at the Somme, France, aged 25. The Court of Enquiry heard that an English artilleryman had handed over on 28 or 29 Sep 1916 a paybook which he said he had taken from beside a dead body some days previously. The paybook was that of Rfm Annals. He did not say where he had found the body. Fred's medals were despatched to his father at Waiapi near Temuka. In 1949 as a result of a letter from Mr W. H. Gomez, of Te Kowhai R. D., Frankton, the bronze memorial plaque bearing the name Frederick James Annals, was

forwarded to Mr James Annals, his father, at Waiapi, Temuka, who was noted as his next of kin and living at this address in 1921. In his letter dated 29th

June 1949, Mr Gomez advised Base Records in Wellington, that while digging his garden, he had unearthed the plaque. He gives a very detailed description of the plaque. One must wonder at how the plaque came to be buried in a garden in Frankton. But how touching of Mr Gomez to want to have it returned to the family. Like so many others of the time who probably didn’t contemplate such an early death, Fred did not leave a will. At enlistment Fred recorded the Church of England as his religion but he had been a member of the Temuka Methodist Church.